Empty Promises – by Sue TL Fox

(FEB 2) I have been covering women’s boxing since 1998 on the net, and throughout the years I have helped, assisted, or however you want to label it, a variety of promoters in the sport. There have been “many” who have walked within my path of life in relation to women’s boxing.

I cannot tell you how many promoters make a multitude of promises to help women’s boxing and to feature female bouts on their cards, just to see within one or two cards, the women are absent from their events.

I have attended and covered many boxing cards throughout the years that had female bouts on those promoters’ cards, and have seen the crowd absolutely go wild during women’s bouts. True, there is an exception as a minority of those bouts were not action-packed. Still, it was obvious to WBAN followers, myself, and boxing fans who have seen women’s boxing that it is a great addition to any card, if the women are well-matched.

I have to say that when it comes to many of the promoters, the promises that I have heard directly from their mouths have been ultimately broken.

This above comment is excluding those “handful” of promoters who ARE supporting the sport, having one or two female fights on their cards, and most who follow female boxing clearly know who those supportive promoters are in the sport.

Just a couple of example of my firsthand experience…

I remember one promoter who said he wanted to have world title caliber bouts on his card, and they would use the WBAN independent belts, which would be “zero” cost for sanctioning fees. Ultimately, that promoter put on unqualified title bouts, and ended up using other belts as WBAN would never allow the fights he put on the card to ever be fought for a WBAN World title belt. WBAN belts are based on merit, skill, and ranking — not money. Not surprisingly, that promoter eventually fell by the way side, and no longer even promotes boxing events at this time.

Another promoter, who was very interested in putting women’s boxing on the map, came to me for assistance and advice on potential action-packed female bouts, and proceeded to immediately put on some of the dullest and one-sided women’s bouts on his cards. He no longer promotes women’s boxing on cards, or anywhere else I believe.

I can give countless examples of promises WBAN hears from promoters –but they appear to be pretty much “empty promises.”

It is WBAN’s hope that the 2012 Olympics, that will allow female boxers to participate in three weight classes, will be something that can catapult those competitors who wish to become professionals in the sport on to any and all boxing cards that are happening today.